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Randy Ribay was born in the Philippines and raised in the Midwest on a diet of books and Pokémon cards. Ribay is the author of An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes. A graduate of the University of Colorado and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Ribay is an English teacher at a private school in Palo Alto, California, and a reviewer for The Horn Book. He lives in Stanford, California. www.randyribay.com Twitter and Instagram @randyribay
Ribay's depictions of Bunny's and Nasir's lives are beautifully-if not tragically-drawn...[Ribay] painstakingly shows the state of (sometimes violent) desperation for many young men of the inner city, buoyed only by the distant chance of a better life through stardom. Despite its downbeat aspects, the story nevertheless manages to infuse humanity into the boys' lives by showcasing the importance of family, the value of friendship, and the importance of courage in the face of difficult situations. - Booklist A well-executed book featuring complex, diverse characters we rarely meet-a real winner for its heartbeat, compassion, and integrity. --Kirkus, STARRED review Without a doubt, Ribay's compelling book belongs on the shelf alongside contemporary heavy-hitters like Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give, Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds's All-American Boys, and Nic Stone's Dear Martin. --School Library Journal, STARRED review As the boys take tentative steps to salvage their friendship, they navigate high-stakes choices and consider the value of loyalty, integrity, and sacrifice in a story driven by fast-paced drama on and off the court. -Publishers Weekly, STARRED review Readers will race through the intrigue and volatile basketball action to the explosive conclusion. --Horn Book Magazine
